Method of verifying and improving the positioning of rod-like articles in trays or intermediate stores and a device enabling the verification of correct positioning of rod-like articles and aligning of their front face in trays or intermediate stores

ABSTRACT

A method, where a verification of positioning of articles ( 3 ) is effected by means of sensors ( 14 ), and an improvement of positioning is effected by aligning a plane of end faces of the articles ( 3 ), consists in that the verification and improvement of positioning of rod-like articles ( 3 ) is effected simultaneously by means of an aligning device ( 1 ) provided with sensors ( 14 ), where the sensors ( 14 ) detect correct filling and/or arrangement of the articles ( 3 ), and the aligning device ( 1 ) aligns the plane of end faces of the articles ( 3 ) correctly filling the inside of a tray ( 6, 6 ′) or an intermediate store ( 7,7 ′), and in the event of detection of incorrect filling and/or arrangement the aligning device ( 1 ) is switched off and the operation of the entire unit is interrupted. An apparatus for using the method has an aligning device ( 1 ) in the form of a plate ( 2 ) coming in contact with end faces of the articles ( 3 ), provided with at least one sensor ( 14 ) for the control of filling of the tray ( 6, 6 ′) or the intermediate store ( 7, 7 ′). The plate ( 2 ) consists of multiple pushers ( 4 ) whose number corresponds to the number of segments ( 5 ) of a multi-segment tray ( 6 ) or intermediate store ( 7 ), and a gap ( 8 ) between the pushers ( 4 ) corresponds to the thickness of a partition ( 9 ) between the segments ( 5 ), where on each pusher ( 4 ) one sensor ( 14 ) is situated. The sensors ( 14 ) may constitute an optical element operating in the range of visible or invisible radiation, or an ultrasonic element, respectively. Between the pushers ( 4 ), movable gates ( 11 ) eliminating the gap ( 8 ) in the event of using conventional trays ( 6 ′) or intermediate stores ( 7 ′) with one compartment are situated.

The object of the invention is a method of verifying the correctpositioning of rod-like articles with simultaneous correction of theirarrangement in trays or intermediate stores used in the tobaccoindustry, and a device enabling the verification of correct positioningof rod-like articles in trays or intermediate stores and aligning oftheir front face.

Trays intended both for conveying cigarettes or cigars from themanufacturing machine to the packing machine and for the transportand/or temporary storage of filters in the manufacturing process arefrequently used in the tobacco industry. Conventional trays have theshape of a cuboid without the front wall and the top wall. Furthermore,multi-segment trays which are divided inside into segments by means ofvertical inner walls are known. Such tray was disclosed in thedescription of the German utility model No. DE 1.915.446. In theproduction lines of the tobacco industry, intermediate stores intendedfor unloading conventional or segment trays are used. One of such storeswas presented in the description of the European patent No. EP 2.079.327A1 belonging to the holder of the present invention, where the rod-likearticles are conveyed from the tray to multiple segments separated fromeach other by vertical division walls, which are then emptiedindependently on each other through a throat formed at the base of thestore, where both the intermediate store and the base with the throatindependently of each other make reciprocating motions along thereceiving conveyor so as to enable meeting of successive segments withthe throat, and the sequence of emptying the segments is backward to thedirection of receiving the articles on the conveyor. Said articles arefed onto the conveyor via a chute, which is permanently connected to thethroat, where the throat of the surface area corresponding to thesurface area of the horizontal section of a segment of the intermediatestore receives articles each time from one, successive segment, andcomplete emptying of a segment is monitored by means of a sensor. In theproduction practice, it happens that the tray filling unit may jam, theconsequence being that not all segments are correctly filled withrod-like articles. Similarly, when emptying the intermediate store, thearrangement of rod-like articles may be distorted, which would result intheir suspension, and in effect a disturbance of the emptying process.In such cases, the production process has to be interrupted as quicklyas possible in order to remove the irregularities, and for theirdetection serve sensors situated in different places of the tray or thestore. In the publication of the USA invention No. US 2008/0181754 A1,an apparatus for unloading trays, in particular multi-segment trays, waspresented in which sensors situated above the bottom of reversed tray inthe number corresponding to the number of segments were used, where, inthe bottom of the tray, holes in the axis of operation of said sensorsare made through which the emptying status of the tray is checked. Inthe publication of another USA invention No. US 2008/0213072 A1, anapparatus for unloading multi-segment trays was presented in whichsensors situated axially to rod-like articles in the numbercorresponding to the number of segments were used, where the sensors aresituated in one row in the bottom part of the tray, after its reversal.On the other hand, in the publication of the international invention No.WO 2008/110390A1, an unloading store for emptying trays of rod-likearticles was shown in which, alternatively, apart from the sensorssituated as in said publication No. US 2008/0181754 A1, also the use ofsensors situated axially to rod-like articles in two rows—lower andhigher, in the central part of the tray was presented, where to eachsegment of the tray two sensors are assigned. The U.S. Pat. No.7,609,393 B2 shows a method and an apparatus for controlling thecorrectness of arrangement of rod-like articles in a conventional trayby means of a scanner checking the upper layer of the articles or thelateral layer of the articles as well as controlling, by means of alaser, the tray after its emptying. From the German patent No. DE1.066.118 an apparatus for filling conventional trays with cigarettes isknown, where the inside of the one-compartment tray is, before filling,divided into cavities by self-aligning partition walls, situatedvertically for the filling time. After complete filling, the tray is putaway onto the conveyor for full trays, where, in the course of puttingaway the tray, the partition walls are removed from inside of it, andthe cigarettes accumulated in vertical cavities are joined. In order toprevent axial shift of cigarettes in the course of removal of partitionwalls, the trays are conveyed to the receiving station by means of apusher making reciprocating motions on which a vertical wall of the areacorresponding to the front surface of the tray, provided with verticalgrooves corresponding to partition walls of the apparatus is mounted. Inthe state of the art, no solution enabling simultaneous control offilling and improving the positioning of rod-like articles in trays orintermediate stores used in production lines of the tobacco industry isknown.

According to the invention, a method of verifying and improving thepositioning of rod-like articles in trays or intermediate stores used inthe production lines of the tobacco industry, where a verification ofpositioning of the articles is effected by means of sensors, and animprovement of positioning of the articles is effected by aligning theplane of end faces of the articles, consists in verifying and improvingthe positioning of rod-like articles simultaneously be means of onealigning device provided with sensors, where the sensors detect thecorrect filling and/or arrangement of rod-like articles, and thealigning device levels the plane of end faces of the articles correctlyfilling the inside of the tray or the intermediate store. Such methodensures that the trays being filled have verified and correctedarrangement of articles, owing to which unloading of the tray will notbe disturbed by improper arrangement of front faces of the articles. Incase of detection of incorrect filling and/or arrangement of rod-likearticles by sensors, the aligning device is switched off and theoperation of the unit, on which the aligning device is mounted, isinterrupted. In this way the flow of articles to the tray, which will belater rejected from production, is interrupted, owing to which thenumber of rod-like articles of full value rejected from production islimited because each improperly filled tray is removed from theproduction. It is of particular importance in a modern production linewhere, on average, the trays contain 4000 articles each, and theproduction output amounts to more than 16000 articles per minute, sothat the loading or emptying cycle of one tray lasts about 15 seconds.The above information applies equally to intermediate stores.

The substance of the invention constitutes also the structure of adevice enabling the verification of correct positioning of rod-likearticles and aligning of their end face in trays or intermediate storesused in production lines of the tobacco industry, where the verificationis effected by means of sensors controlling the filling level of a trayor an intermediate store, and aligning consists in aligning the plane ofend faces of rod-like articles by their axial shift. According to theinvention, an aligning device is made of a plate coming in contact withend faces of rod-like articles, provided with at least one sensorserving for the control of filling of a tray or an intermediate store.Said plate may consist of multiple pushers whose number corresponds tothe number of segments of a multi-segment tray or an intermediate store,and a gap between the pushers corresponds to the thickness of apartition between the segments, with at least one sensor being situatedon each pusher. The sensors may constitute an optical element operatingin the range of visible radiation or invisible radiation, or mayconstitute an ultrasonic element. When conventional trays orintermediate stores with one compartment are used, movable gateseliminating the gap are placed between the pushers. An advantage of thedevice according to the invention constitutes the possibility to checkthe correct filling of trays or intermediate stores with rod-likearticles, where simultaneously the front face of an entire layer ofarticles is aligned to one plane, and, if irregularities in arrangementor filling are detected, filling or emptying may be interrupted andremoved from the production line.

The object of the invention was shown in an embodiment in a drawing inwhich FIG. 1 shows in perspective view an apparatus in the form of analigning device in a position for handling multi-segment trays orintermediate stores, FIG. 2—a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG.1 in the course of loading a multi-segment tray, FIG. 3—a perspectiveview of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the course of loading or emptying amulti-segment intermediate store, FIG. 4—a perspective view of theapparatus of FIG. 1 in the course of emptying a multi-segment tray, FIG.5—a perspective view of an apparatus in the form of an aligning devicein a position for handling conventional trays or intermediate storeswith one compartment, FIG. 6—a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG.5 in the course of loading a conventional tray, FIG. 7—a perspectiveview of the apparatus of FIG. 5 in the course of loading or emptying anintermediate store with one compartment, FIG. 8—a perspective view ofthe apparatus of FIG. 5 in the course of emptying a conventional tray,FIG. 9—an incorrectly filled multi-segment tray in vertical sectionusing a verifying device provided with optical sensors, and FIG. 10—anincorrectly filled multi-segment tray in the top view using a verifyingdevice provided with ultrasonic sensors.

The apparatus constitutes an aligning device 1, having a front plate 2coming in contact with end faces of rod-like articles 3. The plate 2 isdivided into multiple pushers 4 whose number corresponds to the numberof segments 5 of a multi-segment tray 6 or an intermediate store 7,where a gap 8 between pushers 4 corresponds to the thickness of apartition 9 between segments 5. Each of the pushers 4 of the plate 2 hasat the top a slant wall 10 which facilitates aligning of axiallyprotruding rod-like articles 3 in the course of vertical movement in thetray 6 or the intermediate store 7 being loaded or emptied. In gaps 8between pushers 4 of the plate 2, movable gates 11 connected by a commonslat 12 shifted horizontally by an actuator 13 are situated, with thegates 11 having the shape corresponding to a vertical section of theplate 2. If conventional trays 6′ or intermediate stores 7′ with onecompartment are used, the slat 12 is shifted forwards in order that thegates 11 fill the gap 8 between the pushers 4, making the plate 2 amonolith. In the plate 2, sensors 14 of the axis perpendicular to thealigning plane are situated, where preferably each pusher 4 is providedwith at least one sensor 14. The sensors 14 may constitute an opticalelement, operating in the range of visible or invisible radiation whichdetects the absence of rod-like articles 3 in a tray 6 or 6′ or in anintermediate store 7 or 7′, respectively, whereas for locatingimproperly arranged rod-like articles 3 ultrasonic sensors 14 are used.It is obvious that each pusher 4 may be simultaneously provided withboth kinds of sensors 14.

The operation of an apparatus in the form of the aligning device 1provided with sensors 14 and situated in a production line unit of thetobacco industry is as follows: the device 1 is situated horizontally,preferably in the upper part of the unit loading the articles 3 to trays6 or 6′ or to stores 7 or 7′, respectively, and may be also situated inthe bottom part of the unit emptying the trays 6 or 6′ or the stores 7or 7′, respectively. In the course of movement of rod-like articles 3,the aligning device 1, making constantly and uniformly a reciprocatingmotion in a plane parallel to the axis of the articles 3, provisionallyaligns by means of the slant wall 10, and then by means of the plate 2,the front face of successive layers of rod-like articles 3.Simultaneously, the sensors 14 check the correctness of filling orarrangement of the articles 3, and in case of detection of improperpositioning or filling, the operation of the unit is stopped.

1. A method of verifying and improving the positioning of rod-likearticles in trays or intermediate stores used in production lines of thetobacco industry, where the verification of positioning of the articlesis effected by means of sensors, and the improvement of positioning ofthe articles is effected by aligning the plane of end faces of thearticles, characterised in that the verification and the improvement ofpositioning of rod-like articles is effected simultaneously by means ofone aligning device provided with sensors.
 2. A method as in claim 1characterized in that the sensors detect the correct filling and/orarrangement of rod-like articles, and the aligning device aligns theplane of end faces of the articles correctly filling the inside of atray or an intermediate store.
 3. A method as in claim 1 or 2characterized in that, in case of detection of incorrect filling and/orarrangement of rod-like articles by the sensors, the aligning device isswitched off and the operation of the unit, on which the aligning deviceis mounted, is interrupted.
 4. An apparatus enabling the verification ofcorrect positioning of rod-like articles and aligning of their frontface in trays or intermediate stores used in production lines of thetobacco industry, wherein the verification is effected by means ofsensors controlling the level of filling of a tray or an intermediatestore, and aligning consists in aligning the plane of end faces ofrod-like articles by their axial shift, characterised in that thealigning device (1) constitutes a plate (2) coming in contact with endfaces of rod-like articles (3), provided with at least one sensor (14)arranged for the control of filling of a tray (6 or 6′) or anintermediate store (7 or 7′), respectively.
 5. An apparatus as in claim4 characterized in that the plate (2) consists of multiple pushers (4)whose number corresponds to the number of segments (5) of amulti-segment tray (6) or an intermediate store (7), and a gap (8)between the pushers (4) corresponds to the thickness of a partition (9)between the segments (5).
 6. An apparatus as in claim 4 or 5characterized in that on each pusher (4) at least one sensor (14) issituated.
 7. An apparatus as in claim 6 characterized in that thesensors (14) constitute an optical element operating in the range ofvisible radiation.
 8. An apparatus as in claim 6 characterized in thatthe sensors (14) constitute an optical element operating in the range ofinvisible radiation.
 9. An apparatus as in claim 6 characterized in thatthe sensors (14) constitute an ultrasonic element.
 10. An apparatus asin claim 5 characterized in that between the pushers (4) movable gates(11) eliminating the gap (8) in case of using conventional trays (6′) orintermediate stores (7′) with one compartment are situated.